Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/23/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments/Amendments
Applicant's amendments to claim 1 and corresponding arguments, pages 5-7 of the remarks, filed 02/23/2026, with respect to 35 U.S.C 103 rejection of claim 1 as unpatentable over US11164695B2; Otsubo et al.; (hereinafter “Otsubo”) in view of US20170169930A1; Kudo et al. have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made under 35 U.S.C. 103 to claim 1 as being unpatentable over Otsubo in view of US20160314890A1; Kitajima et al.; (hereinafter “Kitajima”). Kitajima has been introduced in view of the amendments to claim 1 for teaching at least: first particles are spaced apart from a conductor, and a part of a surface of second particles being in direct contact with the conductor, whereby the second particles provide a plating seed layer for forming the conductor, and the second particles comprise particles each including the second core and an insulating coating formed on a surface of the second core in a manner such that a part of the surface of the second core is exposed from the insulating coating and held in direct contact with the conductor that renders the amended claim 1 obvious (see 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of amended claim 1 below).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 6-7, 9 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Otsubo in view of Kitajima.
Regarding Claim 1 (currently amended), Otsubo teaches a circuit component (col. 16, ln. 14-16, inductor component for circuit board) comprising:
a resin composite body including a resin material (#3, Figure 1, resin layer) containing a plurality of magnetic particles (col.5, ln. 5-13); and
a conductor formed on a surface of the resin composite body (#6, Figure 1, conductors dispose on surfaces of #3),
wherein the plurality of magnetic particles include first particles that are each insulating as a whole (col. 5, ln. 13-16, magnetic particles dispose within and are insulated from each other by the insulating resin layer #3).
Otsubo does not explicitly teach the first particles are spaced apart from the conductor, and second particles that are in contact with the conductor, each of the second particles includes a second core made of metallic magnetic powder, at least a part of a surface of each of the second particles is formed by the second core, the part of the surface being in direct contact with the conductor, whereby the second particles provide a plating seed layer for forming the conductor, and the second particles comprise particles each including the second core and an insulating coating formed on a surface of the second core in a manner such that a part of the surface of the second core is exposed from the insulating coating and held in direct contact with the conductor.
However, Kitajima teaches a circuit component ([0006]), comprising first particles (Figure 4, magnetic particles #60 insulated by film #62) are spaced apart from a conductor (Figure 4, #60 dispose in body #20 spaced apart from coil conductor #32b/d/f, Figure 3 or 19), and
second particles that are in contact with the conductor (Figure 4, [0057-0058], exposed surface of particles #60 connect to coil conductor #32b via outer electrode 40a), each of the second particles includes a second core made of metallic magnetic powder ([0058], particles #60 comprise metallic magnetic core), at least a part of a surface of each of the second particles is formed by the second core (Figure 4, surface of particles #60 at contact portion #S1),
the part of the surface being in direct contact with the conductor, whereby the second particles provide a plating seed layer for forming the conductor, and the second particles comprise particles each including the second core and an insulating coating formed on a surface of the second core in a manner such that a part of the surface of the second core is exposed from the insulating coating and held in direct contact with the conductor (Figure 4, according to [0086], particles #60 covered by insulating film #62 include an exposed portion that contact outer electrode #40a in order to strengthen an anchor effect between the outer electrodes and the body. Since coil conductor #32b connected to electrode #40a, [0057], also disposes in body #20, although not explicitly shown, one of ordinary skilled in the art would be motivated to apply the same improvement to expose particles #60 to directly contact coil conductor #32b for the same effect. Additionally, according to [0089], the exposed particles enable the outer electrodes to be made by plating to reduce resistivity, similarly, the exposed particles contacting the coil conductor can also enable the coil conductor to be made by plating for previously stated reason).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the invention disclosed by Otsubo with the teaching of Kitajima in order to improve the anchor effect/bonding between the coil conductor, similar to the outer electrodes, and the resin composite body according to Kitajima, [0086].
Regarding Claim 6, Otsubo in view of Kitajima teaches the circuit component as described in claim 1, wherein Otsubo further teaches a material of the conductor includes Cu (col. 6, ln. 45-48, conductor #6 comprises layer #11 of Cu).
Regarding Claim 7, Otsubo in view of Kitajima teaches the circuit component as described in claim 1, wherein Otsubo further teaches the plurality of magnetic particles contain one of Fe, Ni and Co (col. 5, ln. 5-9, magnetic particles can be ferrite powder which contains at least Fe or Ni).
Regarding Claim 9, Otsubo in view of Kitajima teaches the circuit component as described in claim 1, wherein Otsubo further teaches the conductor forms an inductor (col. 5, ln. 16-20, conductors #5 and #6 forms the inductor).
Regarding Claim 11, Otsubo in view of Kitajima teaches the circuit component as described in claim 1, wherein Otsubo further teaches the conductor includes a first conductor layer (#6, Figure 6, conductor), a second conductor layer (#102, conductor), and a conducting portion (#8/#9, metal pins),
the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer face each other with the resin composite body interposed therebetween (resin layer #3 interposes #6 and #102), and
the conducting portion connects the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer to each other (Figure 6, #8 connects #6 and #102).
Regarding Claim 12, Otsubo in view of Kitajima teaches the circuit component as described in claim 11, wherein Otsubo further teaches the first conductor layer is divided into a plurality of first conductor areas,
the second conductor layer is divided into a plurality of second conductor areas (Figure 7, multiple conductors #102 connect to multiple conductors #6),
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the conducting portion includes a plurality of vias each of which electrically connects one of the plurality of first conductor areas and one of the plurality of second conductor areas (metal pins #8/#9 electrically connect conductors #6 and #102), and
each of the plurality of vias is formed at a portion where one of the plurality of first conductor areas and one of the plurality of second conductor areas overlap with each other as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer (Figure 6 of Otsubo annotated, #8/#9 disposes in an overlap portion of #6 and #102).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Otsubo in view Kitajima, and further in view of US 2019/0252111, Matsui et al.; (hereinafter “Matsui”).
Regarding Claim 8, Otsubo in view of Kitajima teaches the circuit component as described in claim 1.
Otsubo in view of Kitajima does not teach the resin composite body has a relative magnetic permeability of 10 or greater.
However, Matsui teaches a circuit component ([0020], coil component for circuit board), wherein the resin composite body ([0060], drum core comprises resin with magnetic metal) has a relative magnetic permeability of 10 or greater ([0074], drum core has magnetic permeability of 35).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have selected the overlapping portion of the ranges disclosed by Matsui because selection of overlapping portion of ranges has been held to be a prima facie case of obviousness. See MPEP §2144.05(I)
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Otsubo in view Kitajima, and further in view of US 2002/0175794 A1, Hirohashi et al.; (hereinafter “Hirohashi”).
Regarding Claim 10, Otsubo in view of Kitajima teaches the circuit component as described in claim 1.
Otsubo in view of Kitajima does not explicitly teach the inductor has a self- inductance of 10 nH or greater.
However, Hirohashi teaches a circuit component ([0013] surface mounted coil component), wherein the inductor has a self- inductance of 10 nH or greater ([0041], base seat comprises synthetic resin, wherein according to [0042], Table 1 indicates the inductance of the base seat is 4.7 µH)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have selected the overlapping portion of the ranges disclosed by Hirohashi because selection of overlapping portion of ranges has been held to be a prima facie case of obviousness. See MPEP §2144.05(I)
Claims 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Otsubo in view of Kitajima, and further in view of US 10111333 B2, Yin et al.; (hereinafter “Yin”).
Regarding Claim 13, Otsubo in view of Kitajima teaches a semiconductor device comprising the circuit component as described in claim 1.
Otsubo in view of Kitajima does not teach a transistor electrically connected to the circuit component.
However, Yin teaches a semiconductor structure comprising the circuit component (col. 2, ln. 15-22, power supply module mounted on a platform such as substrate or circuit board), wherein a transistor electrically connected to the circuit component (Figure 1, MOSFET #16 connects to inductor #18 via platform #12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Yin with Otsubo in view of Kitajima so that a transistor electrically connected to the circuit component in order to control different phases of the power supply according to Yin, col. 2, ln. 41-43.
Regarding Claim 14, Otsubo in view of Kitajima and Yin teaches the semiconductor device comprising the circuit component as described in claim 13.
Otsubo does not teach a sealing member made of a resin, wherein the sealing member covers the circuit component and the transistor.
However, Yin teaches a sealing member made of a resin, wherein the sealing member covers the circuit component and the transistor (Figure 1, col. 3, ln. 4-7, package #20 forms of epoxy resin and covers inductor #18 and transistor #16).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Yin with Otsubo so that a sealing member made of a resin, wherein the sealing member covers the circuit component and the transistor in order to completely encapsulate and improve the heat transfer from the mounted components according to Yin col. 3, ln. 4-26.
Regarding Claim 15, Otsubo in view of Kitajima and Yin teaches the semiconductor device comprising the circuit component as described in claim 13.
Otsubo in view of Kitajima does not teach the transistor is one of a MOSFET, an IGBT, or a HEMT.
However, Yin teaches the transistor is one of a MOSFET, an IGBT, or a HEMT (transistor #16 is a MOSFET).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Yin with Otsubo in view of Kitajima so that the transistor is one of a MOSFET, an IGBT, or a HEMT for the reason set forth in the rejection of claim 13.
Regarding Claim 16, Otsubo in view of Kitajima and Yin teaches the semiconductor device comprising the circuit component as described in claim 13.
Otsubo does not explicitly teach a material of the transistor includes one of SiC, Si, or GaN.
However, Examiner takes official notice that a material of the transistor, such as MOSFET (see rejection of claim 15), can comprise of SiC, Si, or GaN. See MPEP §2144.03.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Yin with Otsubo in view of Kitajima so that a material of the transistor includes one of SiC, Si, or GaN.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
US20220020526 – Figures 1A-B, 3 and [0069]
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/TIEN TRAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2812
/CHRISTINE S. KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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